IT’S sure to be a tall order for whoever wins the battle to be Cardiff City’s first-choice goalkeeper this season.

IT’S sure to be a tall order for whoever wins the battle to be Cardiff City’s first-choice goalkeeper this season.

David Marshall wore the gloves in the Championship last season, keeping out Carling Cup hero Tom Heaton, who has since left the club.

At 6ft 3ins, Marshall is a big man – but he still looks up to summer signing Joe Lewis (6ft 4ins) and newly-arrived Belgian trialist Guillaume Hubert (6ft 5ins).

Elliot Parish, who joined from Aston Villa in January, is also well over 6ft, but can’t match the new boys.

The four keepers will be desperate to impress Bluebirds boss Malky Mackay over the next few weeks, with Lewis especially keen to set down a pre-season marker.

“Both Marshy and I have been in this position before and we’ll both work hard to ensure we have the best possible chance of starting in that first match of the season,” said Lewis, 24.

“We worked together briefly at Norwich four or five years ago, we know each other and get on well.

“Whoever the gaffer picks we’ll help each other.

“If it’s Marshy I will be fully behind him and I’m certain it will be the same if it’s the other way round.”

Lewis spent four seasons at Championship rivals Peterborough before making the free transfer switch to come to South Wales.

“I had been at Peterborough four-and-a-half years, played around 200 matches and felt it was time to move on,” said Lewis.

“When the opportunity came up to sign for Cardiff I grabbed it with both hands because it is a massive club with huge potential.”

Lewis played for England at all age levels from under-16 to under-21.

He made five under-21 appearances having made his debut in a friendly against Wales in 2008, replacing current England custodian Joe Hart at half-time.

A month later, England manager Fabio Capello named Hart, Lewis and then No.1 David James in his senior squad for matches against Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.

Lewis was an unused substitute in both games, but admits he has put thoughts of international football to the back of his mind for now.

“To play for England I’ll have to be playing regular Premier League football,” he said.

“It was a fantastic experience to be included in the England squad and I played at under-21 level a few times.

“But my first thought now is to do everything I can to help Cardiff achieve their ambition of earning promotion to the Premier League. That’s why I have signed for this club.

“Over the last three seasons Cardiff have gone close to promotion and now our job is to press on and get there.

“Only when we make it can I realistically even think about having further England experience.

“The goalkeepers there at the moment are outstanding.

“I feel Joe Hart is the best in world football right now, probably along with Germany’s Manuel Neuer, and Robert Green is a tremendous keeper.

“He made that mistake in the World Cup against the United States a couple of years ago and everybody remembers it.

“But he has put that out of his mind and proved himself to be top class.

“John Ruddy at Norwich is another quality English goalkeeper.

“He has shown that if you play in the Premier League and have a good season then there is every chance the England manager will notice.

“That’s why my focus now has to be helping Cardiff progress because if my club football goes well who knows what may or may not happen in the future.

“I am working all the time to improve my game and get better.

“I was at Norwich when Robert Green was there, he had a tremendous work ethic and was tactically exceptional.

“I tried to learn from him and it’s been the same with every keeper I work with.

“Hopefully there are lessons to be learned from Marshy this season and maybe he will pick up things from me which might be useful.”

Norfolk-born Lewis had loan spells at Stockport and Morecambe before leaving Norwich permanently for Peterborough, Posh paying a record £400,000 club fee for his services.

Lewis made 190 appearances for Posh in an eventful time which saw three promotions and one relegation during his time at the club.

Lewis – who opted to join Cardiff on a three-year deal despite competition from Ipswich – and Marshall were part of the City squad who flew out from Bristol to Geneva yesterday for a week-long training camp at Nyon in Switzerland.

“It’s great to get started,” said Lewis.

“I am still based in a hotel for the moment, but I am moving into a new place with my girlfriend as soon as possible.

“There is a really good spirit and togetherness in and around the squad and everybody has helped the new boys settle in.”

Lewis and Jordon Mutch, the £2m signing from Birmingham, are two of the three players added to Mackay’s squad so far this summer.

The third, striker Etien Velikonja, a £1m signing from NK Maribor in Slovenia, will officially link up with the Bluebirds later this month.

Velikonja is committed to making two final appearances for Maribor in their Champions League qualifier against Zeljeznicar from Bosnia-Herzegovina.

While Velikonja prepares for Champions League football before arriving in time for City’s opening pre-season friendly at Forest Green Rovers on July 28, Mackay’s squad face a gruelling week of double training sessions at Uefa headquarters in Switzerland to make sure they are ready for the rigours ahead.

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